Airflow guiding system for vehicle

ABSTRACT

An airflow guiding system for a vehicle may include an air flap module with air flaps that are selectively opened/closed so that an engine compartment selectively receives external air from a front of the vehicle in accordance with a driving state of an engine, air holes that are formed through the air flap module, at an upper portion of the air flap module, and are kept open, and air ducts that supply air passed through the air holes or air from a front of the air flap module as intake air for the engine. The air passed through the air holes or the air from the front of the air flap module may be supplied as the intake air for the engine, even if the air flaps are closed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority of Korean Patent Application Number 10-2013-0129327 filed on Oct. 29, 2013, the entire contents of which application are incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to an airflow guiding system for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to an airflow guiding system for a vehicle which cools an engine and sends cold air as intake air to the engine.

2. Description of Related Art

In general, an air duct, as an air passage, is a pipe for guiding air to parts requiring air from a part through which air can easily flow inside. For example, there are an air duct that guides air to be sucked into an engine and an air duct for cooling a brake system.

On the other hand, an air flap is a device that selectively opens/closes a passage of air. For example, the air flap can selectively stop the flow of air between a radiator grill and a cooling fan.

When the air flap between a radiator grill and a cooling fan opens the passage of air, air passing through the radiator grill, the air flap, and the cooling fan cools an engine or is supplied as intake air for the engine. Further, when there is no need of cooling the engine, the air flap between the radiator grill and the cooling fan closes the passage of air.

However, even if the air flap between the radiator grill and the cooling fan stops the flow of air, if necessary, the intake air for the engine may not be smoothly supplied, because the flow of air is stopped.

The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention has been made in an effort to provide an airflow guiding system for a vehicle having advantages of being able to smoothly supply intake air for an engine, even if the flow of air for cooling the engine is stopped.

Various aspects of the present invention provide an airflow guiding system for a vehicle, which may include: an air flap module with air flaps that are selectively opened/closed so that an engine compartment selectively receives external air from a front of the vehicle in accordance with a driving state of an engine; air holes that are formed through the air flap module, at an upper portion of the air flap module, and are kept open; and air ducts that supply air passed through the air holes or air from a front of the air flap module as intake air for the engine. The airflow guiding system for a vehicle can make air passed through the air holes or the air from the front of the air flap module be supplied as the intake air for the engine, even if the air flaps are closed.

The air ducts may include: a central duct that receives the air passed through the air holes; sub-ducts that receives the air from the front of the air flap module that does not pass through the air flaps or the air holes; and supply ducts that supply the air passed through the central duct or the sub-ducts as the intake air for the engine.

The air duct may further include duct chambers that collect the air passed through the central duct or the sub-ducts and connection ducts that connect the central duct with the duct chambers, wherein the sub-ducts and the supply ducts may be directly connected with the duct chambers, and the supply ducts supply the air collected in the duct chambers as the intake air for the engine.

The duct chambers may have a predetermined volume to temporarily keep the air collected from the central duct or the sub-ducts. The sub-ducts may be elongated in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the front of the air flap module to the duct chambers.

The air flap module may be disposed between a radiator grill and a cooling fan. When the air flaps are opened, the external air ahead of the vehicle may be supplied to the engine compartment sequentially through the radiator grill, the air flap module, and the cooling fan to cool the engine. The sub-ducts may receive the air passed through the radiator grill from between the radiator grill and the air flap module. The air holes may extend over the radiator grill from the upper portion of the air flap module to receive the external air over the radiator grill.

The central duct may be disposed at a center portion, not a side of a vehicle body, in a lateral direction of the vehicle body, and the sub-ducts may be disposed at least at one side of the air flap module and/or at both lateral sides of the vehicle body.

As described above, according to various aspects of the present invention, since low-temperature air keeps being smoothly supplied to the engine as intake air from the outside of a vehicle, the power efficiency of the engine can be improved. Further, since the flow loss of air over the radiator grill is prevented and the sub-ducts are elongated in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, the aerodynamic characteristics of an airflow in the vehicle body can be improved. Further, since the sub-ducts are elongated in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, the NVH performance of the vehicle can be improved.

The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an exemplary airflow guiding system for a vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an exemplary airflow guiding system for a vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing an exemplary airflow guiding system for a vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an exemplary urea solution venting system for a vehicle according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an airflow guiding system for a vehicle according to varisou embodiments of the present invention and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the airflow guiding system for a vehicle according to varisou embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an airflow guiding system for a vehicle according to varisou embodiments of the present invention includes an air flap module 10 and an air duct 20.

The air flap module 10 includes a bottom air flap part 12, bottom air flaps 14, a top air flap part 16, top air flaps 18, and air holes 15. The air flap module 10 is divided into the bottom air flap part 12 and the top air flap part 16, the bottom air flaps 14 are on the bottom air flap part 12, and the top air flaps 18 are on the top air flap part 16. The top air flap part 16 is disposed over or above the bottom air flap part 12.

The bottom air flaps 14 and the top air flaps 18 are active air flaps that are selectively opened/closed so that an engine compartment selectively receives external air from the front of a vehicle in accordance with the operation state of an engine. The engine compartment is a space where an engine is disposed and is apparent to those skilled in the art. The bottom air flaps 14 and the top air flaps 18 can be independently controlled. That is, any one of the bottom air flaps 14 and the top air flaps 18 can be controlled to be opened and the other can be controlled to be closed. When the bottom air flaps 14 or the top air flaps 18 are opened, the engine is cooled by the external air supplied to the engine compartment through the bottom air flaps 14 or the top air flaps 18.

The air holes 15 are holes formed through the air flap module 10. That is, the air holes 15 are not closed, but are kept open. In some embodiments, the air holes 15 are formed at the top air flap part 16. The air holes 15 are arranged above the top air flaps 18.

The air duct 20 is disposed so that the external air passed through the air holes 15 from the front of a vehicle is supplied. The air duct 20 is a passage that guides or directs air supplied through the air holes 15 to parts requiring air. The air duct 20 includes a central duct 22, sub-ducts 24, duct chambers 25, connection ducts 26, and supply ducts 28.

The central duct 22 communicates with the air holes 15. That is, the central duct 22 receives external air passed through the air holes 15. The central duct 22 is positioned at the center or a center portion, not to the sides when seen from the front of a vehicle.

The sub-ducts 24 are disposed ahead of the air flap module 10 to receive the air that does not pass through the top and bottom air flaps 14 and 18 or the air holes 15. One end of the sub-ducts 24 is open to keep receiving air that does not pass through the top and bottom air flaps 14 and 18 or the air holes 15. When seen from the front of a vehicle, the sub-ducts 24 may be disposed at both sides of the top air flap part 16 in the lateral direction of the vehicle body. Although the sub-ducts 24 are disposed at both sides of the top air flap part 16, in some embodiments, they may be disposed only at one side of the top air flap part 16.

The duct chambers 25 are spaces for receiving the air passed through the central duct 22 or the sub-ducts 24. The duct chambers 25 have a predetermined volume to collect and temporarily keep the air passed through the central duct 22 or the sub-ducts 24. The duct chambers 25 are directly connected with the sub-ducts 24.

The connection ducts 26 connect the central duct 22 with the duct chambers 25 so that the air passed through the central duct 22 flows to the duct chambers 25.

The supply ducts 28 are provided to send the air passed through the duct chambers 25 to the parts requiring air. The supply ducts 28 are directly connected with the duct chambers 25.

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing the airflow guiding system for a vehicle according to varisou embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the airflow guiding system for a vehicle according to varisou embodiments of the present invention is disposed between a hood 52 and an under guard 54. The engine compartment is defined by the hood 52, the under guard 54, and the vehicle body 50, in which the hood 52 that is also called a bonnet and the under guard 54 that is a plate for protecting the driving parts under the engine and on the bottom are apparent to those skilled in the art, so the detailed description is not provided.

The air flap module 10 is disposed between a radiator grill 30 and a cooling fan 40. That is, when the bottom air flaps 14 or the top air flaps 18 are opened, the external air ahead of the vehicle is supplied to the engine compartment sequentially through the radiator grill 30, the air flap module 10, and the cooling fan 40. The radiator grill 30 disposed ahead of the radiator and forming the external appearance of the vehicle and the cooling fan 40 supplying air to the engine compartment to cool the engine by rotating the blades are apparent to those skilled in the art, so the detailed description is not provided.

The shape of the central duct 22 extending longitudinally along the vehicle body and the flow or air supplied to the central duct 22 through the air holes 15 are shown in FIG. 3. The flow of the air supplied to the central duct 22 through the air holes 15 is indicated by a dotted arrow line.

The central duct 22 that communicates with the air holes 15 extends rearward longitudinally along the vehicle body 50, to the rear of the cooling fan 40. The air holes 15 extend toward the front of the vehicle body 50 longitudinally along the vehicle body from the top of the top air flap part 16 to the radiator grill 30. The air holes 15 receive air that without the presence of the air holes 15 would be wasted by interference over the radiator grill 30 to prevent a flow loss of the air over the radiator grill 30.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a urea solution venting system for a vehicle according to varisou embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the sub-ducts 24 receiving the external air passed through the radiator grill 30 from between the air flap module 10 and the radiator grill 30 have a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 50. That is, the sub-duct 24 is elongated in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 50.

The flow of air flowing to the duct chambers 25 through the central duct 22 or the sub-ducts 24 and the air flowing to the rear of the vehicle body 50 through the supply ducts 28 after passing through the duct chambers 25 are indicated by dotted arrow lines in FIG. 4.

The connection ducts 26 are disposed behind the cooling fan 40 to send the air to the duct chambers 25 from the central duct 22 extending to the rear of the cooling fan 40. Accordingly, the air passed through the central duct 22 and the connection ducts 26 can be cooled by the external air sequentially passed through the radiator grill 30, the air flap module 10, and the cooling fan 40 to prevent its temperature increases, as it gets close to the engine.

The air flowing to the rear of the vehicle body 50 through the supply ducts 28 is guided to the part requiring air by the supply ducts 28. The part requiring air may be the intake channel of the engine or a space that communicates with the intake channel. The supply ducts 28 may be directly connected with the intake channel of the engine in accordance with a design by those skilled in the art.

Even if the top air flaps 18 or the bottom air flaps 14 are closed, the air passed through the air holes 15 and the central duct 22 or the air passed through the sub-ducts 24 is supplied to the intake channel of the engine through the duct chambers 25 and the supply ducts 28, such that engine can keep being supplied with external air at a low temperature as intake air. It is apparent to those skilled in the art that the density of air at a lower temperature is higher than that at a higher temperature.

In other words, the airflow guiding system for a vehicle according to varisou embodiments of the present invention smoothly cools an engine, using the air flap module 10, and keeps supplying high-density air to the engine as intake air even if there is no need of cooling the engine.

As described above, according to varisou embodiments of the present invention, since low-temperature air keeps being smoothly supplied to the engine as intake air from the outside of a vehicle, the power efficiency of the engine can be improved. Further, since the flow loss of air over the radiator grill 30 is prevented and the sub-ducts 24 are elongated in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 50, the aerodynamic characteristics of an airflow in the vehicle body 50 can be improved. Further, since the sub-ducts 25 are elongated in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 50, the NVH performance of the vehicle can be improved.

For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper” or “lower”, “front” or “rear”, “top” or “bottom”, and etc. are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures.

The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An airflow guiding system for a vehicle, comprising: an air flap module with air flaps that are selectively opened/closed so that an engine compartment selectively receives external air from a front of the vehicle in accordance with a driving state of an engine; air holes that are formed through the air flap module, at an upper portion of the air flap module, and are kept open; and air ducts that supply air passed through the air holes or air from a front of the air flap module as intake air for the engine, wherein the air passed through the air holes or the air from the front of the air flap module is supplied as the intake air for the engine, even if the air flaps are closed.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the air ducts include: a central duct that receives the air passed through the air holes; sub-ducts that receives the air from the front of the air flap module that does not pass through the air flaps or the air holes; and supply ducts that supply the air passed through the central duct or the sub-ducts as the intake air for the engine.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the air ducts further include: duct chambers that collect the air passed through the central duct or the sub-ducts; and connection ducts that connect the central duct with the duct chambers, wherein the sub-ducts and the supply ducts are directly connected with the duct chambers, and the supply ducts supply the air collected in the duct chambers as the intake air for the engine.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the duct chambers have a predetermined volume to temporarily keep the air collected from the central duct or the sub-ducts.
 5. The system of claim 3, wherein the sub-ducts are elongated in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the front of the air flap module to the duct chambers.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the air flap module is disposed between a radiator grill and a cooling fan.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein when the air flaps are opened, the external air ahead of the vehicle is supplied to the engine compartment sequentially through the radiator grill, the air flap module, and the cooling fan to cool the engine.
 8. The system of claim 6, wherein the sub-ducts receive the air passed through the radiator grill from between the radiator grill and the air flap module.
 9. The system of claim 6, wherein the air holes extend over the radiator grill from the upper portion of the air flap module to receive the external air over the radiator grill.
 10. The system of claim 2, wherein: the central duct is disposed at a center portion, not a side of a vehicle body, in a lateral direction of the vehicle body; and the sub-ducts are disposed at least at one side of the air flap module and/or at both lateral sides of the vehicle body. 